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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. smk4565
    The justification for the price is that a V6 C-class is $50k. And while the hybrid gives up 1 second in 0-60 time it is basically doubling fuel economy. You could spend near $50k on an Acura, Lincoln, ATS/CTS etc that has a 0-60 time near 6 seconds and not the interior that the C-class has, and won't get the fuel economy of the C350e. If you were already going to spend $45,000 on a C300, I think a few thousand extra is worth more performance and economy. But as I said I'd have to see how the pricing was. Personally I'd rather have the bi-turbo V6 over the hybrid if they are the same money.
  2. smk4565
    I would have thought it would be called C300 Plug in, because it is a C300 4-cylinder, but whatever. I think it could be good vale, I would need to see the price and options that come with it. But it is faster than a C300, and obviously will save on gas, and 20 miles of electric only isn't bad because you aren't going to drive it in electric only mode unless in traffic or maybe highway cruise. When accelerating you'll need the gas engine. They aren't trying to make a full electric like the i3 or Tesla, or even a Volt that is an electric car with a range extender. This is the second of 10 plug-in hybrids that are coming, the S-class plug in is on sale in Europe, on sale here in spring. They must figure it will sell if they are making 10 of them.
  3. smk4565
    They need to do something, the current 3.6 gives up so much torque to the Germans boosted sixes, it is a dated engine now, imagine by 2018 how obsolete it will be. Mercedes has a new line of inline sixes coming in 2 years, this 3.0 bi-turbo V6 is only living for about 3 model years before they replace it. If Merc and BMW are doing it, watch the lemmings follow. Hybrid drivetrain could be another area for improvement, probably every Cadillac should have a plug-in hybrid model and a diesel.
  4. smk4565
    Cadillac only engines would help. Maybe develop a new 2.2 liter turbo 4 that is Cadillac only, let that current 2.0 be used in Chevy and Buick. The 3.6 V6 is old news, they should just come up with an all new Cadillac only V6, maybe a 3.2 twin turbo, maybe an inline six. An inline six would be unique to Cadillac as it likely would not fit in any Chevy or Buick, plus you get that balance and smoothness. And where is the Cadillac V8? They build that brand on V8s, and if they really want to go after the S-class, they better have a V12.
  5. smk4565
    Well Audi could spend all $20 billion on the A8 and still not catch the S-class in my view.
  6. smk4565
    Audi's $30 billion figure is correct, I don't know why I thought it was 24, I went back and found the news article. But $9-10 billion is going into plants and production, so they'll have $20 billion for product. There is definitely a constant game of one upsmanship going on with the Germans, Cadillac will need deep pockets to hang with them. Cadillac can use a car smaller than the ATS, they could make it hatchback or coupe. Cadillac needs more body styles of existing cars I think more than they need more sedans.
  7. smk4565
    Their small crossover will be like the Lincoln MKC or Lexus NX is my guess, something in the 180-183 inch long range. Bigger than an Encore, and interior similar to the ATS. Starting price around $34k. It would be nice if they did this on Alpha, and not a FWD platform. SRX or XT5 or whatever it is, I think will stay lined up against the Lexus RX and probably start around $40,000, maybe $44,000 with some inflation by then. There could be space for a 4th SUV between the SRX replacement and the Escalade in the $60k range, but I think it would have to be based on a CTS V-sport and have some performance to it for people to spend extra money over an SRX type vehicle. Johan may think $12 billion is a lot, but it isn't really compared to what VW/Audi and Mercedes spend. Audi is spending $24 billion on new product from 2014-2018. VW spends more on R&D than any other company in the world, 13.5 billion last year alone. Daimler spends more on R&D than Ford or Honda, Mercedes spent $1 billion just on the 2014 E-class refresh. If Cadillac spends $1 billion per refresh on their current models, that eats up half their $12 billion just keeping the current products competitive, leaving enough money to make 3 new products, so I guess small sedan, small crossover, and S-class fighter are it. It is funny how all these car makers have an S-class fighter coming soon. The CT6 was going to be the flagship, now the real flagship is 5 years away. And Cadillac isn't alone, the 2018 Audi A8 will be able to drive itself up to 37 mph and have suspension that scans the road ahead and adjusts for bumps before it hits them. Both those technologies were on the 2014 S-class. These people can't catch up, they might as well just shut down 7-series and A8 production, it's over they lost.
  8. smk4565
    S-classes don't depreciate that fast. Lincoln has probably the worst resale value of any luxury brand. You can get a 2012 MKZ for under $20k. I am just saying that if you were looking for a crossover in a few years, the MKX will probably be $5-10,000 less than a used Lexus and about the price of a new CR-V. You'd have to be a fool to buy a Lincoln new, but they make a great deal when used.
  9. smk4565
    Without any google help, my guesses are: 1. Dodge Monaco 2. Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Chrysler 3. Springfield, Illinois 4. 1953 Bell Air 5. Dodge and Ferrari Daytona
  10. smk4565
    If you watch a lot of Top Gear it helps. I suspect the people that made the quiz did.
  11. smk4565
    The Avenir looks more like the Model S or almost Panamera shape at the back. I like the car overall but would prefer more trunk. The CLS I think looks good, but my favorite Mercedes designs have always been E and S class which are more 3 box design.
  12. smk4565
    Ugly outside, looks like an old F150 with Japanese styling cues. The interior looks fine, it is what you'd expect. Cummings diesel is nice, they got the engine right, but they got the body wrong.
  13. smk4565
    The best thing about Lincoln is all their products after 3 years cost about half what they were new. So you can score a used one of these for under $25k in 3 years. That is good value.
  14. smk4565
    The Ford GT has always been awesome, this is way cooler than an NSX.
  15. smk4565
    The inside looks like what you'd expect from a Malibu, it is a little nicer than a Cruze. The back end looks like a Civic and the front looks like a Toyota with an Acura beak. This looks like a Japanese car, gen 1 had a better front end I think.
  16. smk4565
    What do we want? Diesels! When do we want them? Now!
  17. smk4565
    My car has more torque than this thing. Lexus performance cars are a joke. This engine would have been good for a GS500, something to compete with the 550i or E550 (if it comes back, otherwise CLS550). Plus it is ugly. How Lexus sells so many cars is still a mystery to me. Awful torque rating, 389 @ 4800 rpm, mine is 391 @ 2800 rpm and Mercedes made that engine 7 years ago.
  18. smk4565
    Agreed, it doesn't quite look like a Buick. And the dash and center stack has a ridiculous amount of buttons, it looks cluttered.
  19. smk4565
    I actually quite like it, although from the side it looks a bit like a Tesla Model S with a longer hood. I don't like short rear decklids or a Panamera style rear end, this isn't too bad, but from behind the C-pillar I think it could be better. They did well in front of the C-pillar, I question if there is a market for it, I think sales numbers would be like Kia K900 or Hyundai Equus.
  20. smk4565
    Skylark
  21. smk4565
    Johan changed his mind awfully fast too, what happened to German level pricing? A C-class is $40k now, the E-class is $52k. I will list a complaint on Mercedes pricing though, the E400 is $62,350 (granted the premium and sport packages are included) but the E550 used to be about that price and you got Airmatic, now the E550 is gone.
  22. smk4565
    I think they should have added more content rather than cut prices. And simplify the option packages, there are so many levels of standard, luxury, performance and premium, plus individual options on top of that. Maybe they should just dump the standard car, and start with luxury, then they wouldn't have to drop the price. Although the price drop is somewhat irrelevant, dealers are probably discounting anyway, and if you go on Cadillac's website it says you can get $6,000 off a 2014 CTS, they don't list a 2015 yet.
  23. smk4565
    weeeelll... the LFX has only been around since 2012. It is so different from the prior LLT that it is basically all new. It just shares a displacement. The Mercedes 3.5 liter V6 with direct injection came out in 2012, and they are phasing it out now for the 3.0 bi-turbo V6, which itself will be replaced in 2017 by the new inline engines. So things can change fast. The market has moved to boosted sixes, Cadillac needs a 350 hp/torque V6 with an 8 speed.
  24. smk4565
    Would be a good idea, convertibles bring a youthful appeal to a brand. Plus GM only has the Camaro and Corvette as convertibles, and not everyone wants a muscle car. And outside of luxury and sports cars there aren't many convertibles, the old Chrysler Sebring/200 (we'll see if they do another) and the Eos are really it. There is the Beetle and the Mini Cooper, but they are sort of quirky and impractical.
  25. smk4565
    The model by model sales chart is awesome, that must have taken some time and research to put together. I love that level of analysis. The Escalade and the GL are competitors, similar size and price, both 3 rows, most GLs are V8s, etc. The G-wagen is a rather unique vehicle, even more so when you look at an AMG version or the 6x6.
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